Durian trade emerges as symbol of booming China-ASEAN cooperation

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A farmer conducts preliminary cleaning for freshly harvested durians at a durian orchard in Dak Lak province, Vietnam, on Sept. 15, 2023. Dak Lak is a leading durian-growing province in the country. As the vast majority of durians sold in the Chinese market are imported from Southeast Asia, the "king of fruits" has emerged as a prominent symbol of the booming China-ASEAN cooperation and China's vast market potential. The flow of goods in this regional market has continued to benefit from tariff-free policies and expanded market access under the frameworks of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). In the first five months of this year, Guangxi imported 3.66 billion yuan worth of fruits from ASEAN countries, a marked rise of 194 percent year on year. Among the most notable increases is durian, which surged 516 percent from the same period last year, according to customs data. (Xinhua/Hu Jiali)